5 of 2017’s Best Content Brands

NewsCred# started a new list this year of the 50 best content market brands, calling it #ThinkContent. From that list, we picked five brands to highlight and share. For the full 50, take a look here. The full list covered 10 categories; we’ve chosen one each from five of those categories.

Rue La La – Rue Now

Rue La La has committed to providing inspiring and entertaining content on all social media platforms where they have a presence. They also launched a content hub in 2016, called Rue Now. They update the hub several times during each day and share stories from publications such as Fashionista, The Cut, PureWow, and Stylecaster. They cover topics such as pop culture, décor, beauty, recipes, and fashion.

They have built strong followings on social media, including one million fans on Facebook, over 41K on Instagram, and over 46K on Twitter. They also produce various newsletters for direct contact with customers, fans, and vendors. Much of what they share is non-promotional info with value. Ann Handley, chief content officer at MarketingProfs, said: “A content marketing effort I enjoy is Rue La La’s. Mostly because I’m a subscriber who became a customer based on their useful emails which are chock full of style tips.”

Blue Apron

Blue Apron was founded in 2012, and if you’ve been on Facebook recently, you’ve probably seen one of their ads. They provide meal kits with recipes and fresh ingredients allowing subscribers to make certain choices. It must be working because they reached $1 billion in revenue and will soon go public with an IPO. For the first few years of business, they spent a lot of time teaching people how it all worked. Now the brand is so widely recognized, they can add in storytelling depth. They source their products from local responsible farmers and suppliers to minimize waste.

They use their blog often to let people know more about the suppliers as well as issues regarding food waste and sustainable seafood. They have 1.5 million Facebook fans, 252K on Instagram, and over 51K on Twitter.

InVision

InVision is a design software leader offering a unique perspective … on everything. Their content marketing is no different. Their marketing leader, Clair Byrd, said: “Design is not aesthetic for us, but a way to solve real business problems. ‘How do I get someone to click on this Google ad?’ is just as much a design problem as ‘What typeface should I use for best readability on mobile?’”

They’ve tapped into a loyal audience of designers – 95% of content on their blog comes from users. That translates to an accurate representation of designers. During the summer, they released a full-length documentary called, “DESIGN DISRUPTORS.” It featured companies who have redefined and reinvented industries by using design. The documentary garnered 100K new leads.

Airbnb

At the end of 2016, Airbnb shifted their approach and announced they were changing from a home-rental organization to a “holistic” travel one, focusing on experiential travel. According to Jonathan Mildenhall, their CMO, each hold will provide a video trailer and poster allowing Airbnb’s marketing to maximize those assets in promoting authentic and user-centric branding. They launched Airbnb Magazine in conjunction with Hearst. The magazine is 32 pages featuring content from hosts.

Airbnb is no stranger to social media, using it to build what has become a $30 billion brand. On Instagram, they have more than a million followers. Much of the content comes from interactions with hosts and clients, allowing them to offer destination guidebooks with thousands of recommendations from locals worldwide.

Pfizer – Getting Older

Talking about age after a certain point is no one’s favorite topic. Nobody really wants to think about loss of mobility, activity, physical or mental abilities. But currently and through 2030, approximately 10K people per day will turn 65. Pfizer is doing their part to un-taboo the topic of aging. They also like to think that their products have helped our aging public do so in a more healthy fashion now than ever before.

So, beginning in 2012, they started Get Old, a website that celebrates getting older, that for many it’s a new beginning rather than the beginning of the end. They post articles almost daily on topics such as health and wellness, love and sex, money and career, and lifestyle and travel. Get Old functions separate from Pfizer, so they have separate social media sites with approximately 336K followers on Facebook and over 41K on Twitter.

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